More than 200 needy families in southeast-central Wisconsin, two-thirds of them with children, will have an easier time affording healthy, locally grown food as a result of $50,000 raised in a weekend “Bike the Barns” bicycle event which included rider Steve Staden, Ipswitch R&D development manager in the Madison office.

Staden said he and his girlfriend  joined 570 bicyclers who  rode either 26 miles (“radish route”) or 63 miles (“rutabaga route”)  in rain and 50-degree temperatures around the rolling plains of Madison, Wis., to benefit the Madison Area CSA Coalition. “CSA” stands for “Community Supported Agriculture,” and in this case it applies to a 20-year-old non-profit association of 50 food-growing farms within about a 100-mile radius of Madison.

Steve Staden gearing up for "Bike the Barns"

Despite the rain, the $50,000 was “more than we have ever raised before in a single bike event,” said Gini Knight, community-program manager for the CSA Coalition. They’ll use proceeds from Sunday’s ride to provide 50-percent subsidies to the 200 needy families who purchase an annual family “share” of food. That would otherwise cost them $570 for 20 weeks of fresh produce – in quantities sufficient to feed a family of four.

To fortify the bicycle riders along the rolling route pit stops were at participating farms with names like Wholesome Harvest and Sprouting Acres. They included – all locally sourced – a breakfast of yogurt waffle cups with fruit and  lunches of either roast beef or veggie sandwiches, bean salad, green salad and homemade ice-cream sandwiches. Menu for  the post-ride after party? Tacos, coleslaw, root-beer floats and beer from a local brewery.

Staden’s registration fee and contribution for the ride will be matched by Ipswitch’s iCare program.  He’s still taking friends-and-family donations at his pledge web page. His next charity ride is Oct. 1 to benefit 12 health-related services via Tomorrow’s Hope.